cell coverage? - Adirondack Forum (2024)

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  • jeremyjoslin

    Wilderness Medicine Guru

    • Dec 2005
    • 17

    #1

    cell coverage?

    I'm planning on trying to cover as much ground as possible in 6 days come the second week of November.

    My initial plans are to do about 48 miles (Piseco to Route 28/30 near Blue Mt.), but I'm wondering if I should plan more (maybe going to Rt. 28N near Long Lake) instead.

    We are experienced hikers and will have full loads.

    My thoughts are to plan for the longer hike, and have the shorter hike as a bail-out option. If we decide to bail, I'm wondering if AT&T coverage is available to call for pickup.

    Any thoughts on coverage there, as well as overall game plan? (Never done NPT but have done 26 high peaks and several other "50 mile" hikes out West.

    Last edited by jeremyjoslin; 10-14-2008, 07:12 PM.Reason: corrected cross-road references

    Jeremy Joslin, MD
    www.jeremyjoslin.com

    * Commentary here is merely that and should not be construed as individualized medical advice.

    Tags:None

    • colden46

      Member

      • Oct 2006
      • 1060

      #2

      What area are you looking for coverage? I believe cell coverage is available in the vicinity of where the trail crosses 28/30 near Lake Durant. From there south to Piseco I would plan on zero coverage whatsoever.

      As for your plans, I did the N-P that time of year, a few years back. Be prepared for anything, including significant snowfall. Between the time you leave Piseco and the time you emerge at Cedar River Flow, you will be completely on your own. I didn't see anyone during those three days, and the last person to sign in at West Lake was a couple weeks before, as I recall.

      On the other hand, the stretch from McCane's to Lake Durant was quite busy with hunters, so don't expect to get a lean-to.

      Comment

      • Buster Bear

        Trail Bum

        • Apr 2008
        • 433

        #3

        There was cell coverage at the Piseco trailhead (town garage) last year.

        Ripples never come back. -Genesis
        CL50 #49

        Comment

        • redhawk

          Senior Resident Curmudgeon

          • Jan 2004
          • 10929

          #4

          Originally posted by Buster BearView Post

          There was cell coverage at the Piseco trailhead (town garage) last year.

          That's a crap shoot. It's at the very edge of the cell sevice from Speculator so I wouldn't count on it. Figure on no coverage from Benson to Long Lake with the exception of some areas around Blue Mountain.

          Oddly enough I had no coverage along Long lake except at Plumleys, but not right at the lean-to. had to walk about 20 feet NW to the shore and had four bars.

          There is coverage at the Averyvile trailhead.

          Hawk

          "If future generations are to remember us with gratitude rather than contempt, we must leave them more than the miracles of technology. We must leave them a glimpse of the world as it was in the beginning, not just after we got through with it." Lyndon B. Johnson

          Comment

          • DSettahr

            ɹǝqɯǝɯ

            • May 2007
            • 5835

            #5

            The only cell company to even consider in the Adirondacks is Verizon. None of the other companies come even close to providing their level of coverage in the area.

            You can get cell coverage (Verizon) between Piseco and Fall Stream, thanks to the new tower on Oak Mountain. You won't be able to get it anywhere else in the West Canada Lakes, unless you hike 3-4 miles South from Cedar Lakes to the Sled Harbor/Pillsbury Mountain trailhead. Cell coverage is available at the height of land 1.5 miles north of the trailhead.

            Comment

            • adktyler

              previously adk88

              • Aug 2008
              • 1133

              #6

              Originally posted by DSettahrView Post

              The only cell company to even consider in the Adirondacks is Verizon. None of the other companies come even close to providing their level of coverage in the area.

              You can get cell coverage (Verizon) between Piseco and Fall Stream, thanks to the new tower on Oak Mountain. You won't be able to get it anywhere else in the West Canada Lakes, unless you hike 3-4 miles South from Cedar Lakes to the Sled Harbor/Pillsbury Mountain trailhead. Cell coverage is available at the height of land 1.5 miles north of the trailhead.

              I completely agree. Though sometimes Sprint almost comes close, because they operate on the same frequency as emergency personnel. But overall, Verizon blows everyone else out of the water.

              Comment

              • uberTurtle

                Ruffian

                • Nov 2003
                • 102

                #7

                Had good coverage at Plumley's, as well, down by the water. From 28 (Long Lake) South, I wouldn't expect much. I was planning on coverage at the 28/30 (Blue Mountain Lake) crossing, but had nothing. After walking into Blue Mountain Lake and knocking on a very understanding woman's door at 2200, I was able to borrow a phone and also find out that Verizon has no coverage in Blue Mountain Lake. Might have changed in the past year, but you never know.

                ADK 46er #7634
                ADK Winter 46 8/46

                Comment

                • Wilderness Medicine Guru

                  • Dec 2005
                  • 17

                  #8

                  My apologies:

                  I've corrected my cross-road references in my first post. I'm wondering about At&T coverage near Blue Mountain Lake (Rt 28/30) as bail-out option. Otherwise, we'll go on to the 28N crossing (Long Lake Village) and call for pick up from there.

                  Thanks for all the input so far.

                  I hate the thought of lugging a tent, only to use an empty LT every night.

                  Jeremy Joslin, MD
                  www.jeremyjoslin.com

                  * Commentary here is merely that and should not be construed as individualized medical advice.

                  Comment

                  • Bill I.

                    Member

                    • Jun 2007
                    • 1587

                    #9

                    Originally posted by jeremyjoslinView Post

                    ...I'm wondering about At&T coverage near Blue Mountain Lake (Rt 28/30) as bail-out option...

                    I've gotten AT&T coverage in Piseco, at the Pillsbury Mountain TH, and from NY 28 at the Blue Mountain TH above the museum. In the past I have not gotten much coverage in Blue Mountain Lake village or even Long Lake.

                    Not that I've ever complained.

                    Comment

                    • cell coverage? - Adirondack Forum (10)

                      timetohike

                        #10

                        Verizon does have better coverage in the Adirondacks because it has more towers. But you don't have to be a verizon customer to use them, you just have to have a CDMA phone and a carrier that has a roaming agreement with verizon.

                        GSM phones can't roam on a CDMA network. If you don't already have verizon service, then Tracfone sells a CDMA phone for $10 at walmart and radio shack.

                        I think the CDMA tracfones roam on the verizon network. Buy the phone and a $20 card. You get 30 days and something like 30 or 40 minutes, which will be more than enough to serve your needs.

                        There was a time when you could only buy a CDMA Tracfone in places like the 518 area code where there was no GSM netwook because it cost tracfone a lot more for the time on the CDMA networks (sprint and verizon) then it cost to buy the GSM network time. I bought one at the radio shack in Saranac a year ago but I've seen them being sold in Walmarts in Syracuse and Buffalo recently.

                        When you sign up for a number just tell them you'll be using it in Saranac Lake and you'll get the 518 area code. It doesn't matter because you same the same per minute price for long distance and local calls.

                        Comment

                        • redhawk

                          Senior Resident Curmudgeon

                          • Jan 2004
                          • 10929

                          #11

                          Originally posted by timetohikeView Post

                          When you sign up for a number just tell them you'll be using it in Saranac Lake and you'll get the 518 area code. It doesn't matter because you same the same per minute price for long distance and local calls.

                          Depending on the phone. Some of the newer trackphones have "single rate" and double minutes which means that there are no "roaming" charges. So it makes no different what zip code the phone is listed in.

                          And the tracphone is what i am basing my coverage on, and it is using Verizon up here.

                          Hawk

                          "If future generations are to remember us with gratitude rather than contempt, we must leave them more than the miracles of technology. We must leave them a glimpse of the world as it was in the beginning, not just after we got through with it." Lyndon B. Johnson

                          Comment

                          • hydronaut

                            North Country Exile

                            • May 2007
                            • 86

                            #12

                            cell coverage

                            I thru hiked the trail at the end of August and had cell coverage with AT&T as much if not more so than my buddy who had Verizon. The Moose pond lean to was the only place he had service and I didn't. I know that I had service at the foot of the blue ridge and he didn't.

                            Comment

                            • jeremyjoslin

                              Wilderness Medicine Guru

                              • Dec 2005
                              • 17

                              #13

                              Thanks Wildriver- just what I was wondering.

                              Anyone else have comments on suggested mileage over 6 days?

                              Jeremy Joslin, MD
                              www.jeremyjoslin.com

                              * Commentary here is merely that and should not be construed as individualized medical advice.

                              Comment

                              • cadmonkey

                                Member

                                • Aug 2008
                                • 93

                                #14

                                Are you guys serious? YOU GUYS ARE OUTTA CONTROL! You all carry cell phones on hikes? What ever happened to "getting away from it all"? WHAT DID YOU DO BEFORE CELL PHONES CAME OUT?cell coverage? - Adirondack Forum (15)

                                Comment

                                • Bill I.

                                  Member

                                  • Jun 2007
                                  • 1587

                                  #15

                                  Originally posted by cadmonkeyView Post

                                  Are you guys serious? YOU GUYS ARE OUTTA CONTROL! You all carry cell phones on hikes? What ever happened to "getting away from it all"? WHAT DID YOU DO BEFORE CELL PHONES CAME OUT?cell coverage? - Adirondack Forum (17)

                                  Mine stays in the car 99.9% of the time while I'm in the backcountry.

                                  The one exception was when I was job hunting last spring. I had a free day to enjoy a hike, but I didn't want to miss a potentially important phone call. So I enjoyed the best of both worlds and climbed Pillsbury Mountain, where I knew I'd be within range of the tower in Speculator.

                                  Comment

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